Wedding Waters
by SharkAria
Summary: Korra and Tahno's wedding is a little more elaborate than either had originally planned. The differences between their two cultures seem more prominent than ever. But at the end of the day, they'll be married, and that's all that matters, right? Written for Tah(n)orra Week 2014, theme: convergence.


A/N: Written for Tah(n)orra Week 2014, theme: Convergence. In other words, my excuse to write a wedding scene. CH 1: Swamp Tribe.

Korra loved Tahno so very, very much. This was the only way to explain the fact that she was willingly standing barefoot in the forest outside of Republic City, encircled by all her friends, family, soon-to-be in-laws, and quite a few reporters, in almost no clothing beyond a thin loincloth, a vine halter top, and a banana-mango leaf headpiece. Tahno stood across from her in nearly the same attire, clasping Korra's hands and smirking at her like he knew something she didn't - which was true, since this whole ceremony had been his idea. The masked Swamp High Priest stood before them, chanting blessings and nodding to the beat of a nearby drum circle. Every so often, during an especially vigorous head nod, the priest's massive headdress would bounce off Korra's own bridal leaf hat and she would have to stop looking into Tahno's eyes for fear of bursting out laughing. Then she'd try to bring herself back to focus on the words the priest was saying, but his monotonous voice and archaic swamp dialect made the task even more difficult. Eventually she found herself zoning out, which was probably bad manners to do so during one's own wedding, but then again this wasn't exactly how she'd pictured her special day.

From the moment that Korra and Tahno had announced their engagement, their families had threatened to upend the world peace that Korra had worked so hard to achieve. Korra's father fired the first shot by declaring that no man, and certainly not a skinny, eyeliner-wearing Swampite, would ever be good enough for his daughter. Tahno's father, Ohno, had made things worse by suggesting that while a Southern girl like the Avatar was probably an acceptable match for his good-for-nothing, spotlight-addicted son, his blessing could be purchased with a substantial monetary gift and a case of Fire Nation liquor. Senna had just talked Tonraq out of his impulse to sail all the way to Foggy Swamp to throttle Ohno personally when Tahno's mother, Nitah, had sent word that all of Tahno's five sisters (each one vainer than the last) would, of course, serve as Korra's bridesmaids - and they'd be picking the dresses, thank you very much. And on top of all the family drama, Korra couldn't even hang out at her own home on Air Temple Island due to Tenzin's constant exhortations that her wedding would usher in a new era of hope and progress for the world.

It was all Korra could do not to grab Tahno by the shirtcollar and haul him off to the City Clerk's office for a secret elopement.

In a last ditch effort to keep his fiancee from threatening both families with the Avatar State, Tahno had brokered a truce which all parties begrudgingly accepted: the couple would take part in a traditional Swamp Tribe ceremony, immediately followed by a full Southern Water Tribe-style wedding, with the media invited to the whole affair. At the time, Korra had agreed enthusiastically - weddings in the South were a blast, after all - but Tahno had neglected to fully explain to her what a "traditional Swamp Tribe ceremony" entailed until a few days before the event.

And now, here she was in this ridiculous get-up, and the big Swamp dude in the funky mask had decided that all the weird chants weren't enough - he was now splashing muddy-looking water on her and Tahno in what she could only assume was yet another endless, incomprehensible ritual. In an especially awkward moment, a droplet slid down her nose and made her sneeze. Several flashbulbs went off as various newspaper photographers captured the moment for posterity.

Korra glared at her betrothed standing across from her. Tahno smirked back and squeezed her hand slightly in what she was sure was just faux sympathy.

Abruptly, the drummers stopped. The priest ceased his chanting, nodding and water flinging and stepped away from the couple. Korra barely had time to look up before Tahno's sisters rushed her and Tahno, draping heavy, fragrant garlands of tiny berries and delicate moss lilies around their necks and shoulders. As she was still pondering this turn of events, Korra noticed Ohno and Nitah approaching, moving with surprising speed and dexterity for a couple of people who had been drinking heavily at the rehearsal dinner the night before. Ohno yanked the leaf from Korra's head and threw it on the ground; Nitah did the same to her son's leaf. Then Tahno's youngest sister leapt out from the middle of the crowd and flung a massive, ripe avoberry onto the leaves. It splattered sticky purple juice across the ground and onto Korra and Tahno's legs.

Ohno pumped his wiry arm into the air and whooped, then grabbed Korra's shocked mother in a bear hug that lifted her off the ground. Short, squat Nitah broke into an ecstatic grin and nearly tackled Tonraq in an embrace. The rest of Tahno's numerous relatives screamed and cheered and broke into an impromptu dance as the drummers began poundeing a thrumming, boisterous beat over the crowd's noise. The priest thwacked Tahno on the back with a force that surely knocked the air from his lungs. Tahno's sisters piled on to Korra all at once with with wide smiles on their faces, crushing Korra's moss lily garlands and getting pollen on their faces and hair. On the outer edges of the circle, the other Water Tribe and Republic City guests mostly stood up, politely clapping and looking around confused, but Bolin at least hollered and whistled with enough excitement to convince most of the guests that he'd been born in Foggy Swamp.

Korra eventually managed to shake her new sisters off and make her way back to Tahno. Over the commotion, she cupped her hand over her mouth and yelled, "Uh, what just happened?"

"The avoberry juice was purple, not green," Tahno shouted back, as though this explained anything. He took Korra's hand, interlacing his fingers with hers and brought his lips nearly against her ear. "It's a fertility ritual. According to Swamp Tribe tradition, purple juice blesses you with a certainty tthat by tomorrow morning you'll be carrying my child." He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow suggestively, and pulled his arm around her waist.

Korra's face flushed. All these people were thinking about her and Tahno . . . ? Korra looked around and saw that all the Swamp Tribe members were toasting one another with flasks of liquor that they must have been hiding someplace in their loincloths. Korra's parents looked dazed but happy as various people shook their hands and hugged them. Tears of joy streamed down her new mother-in-law's face.

Someone pressed one of the ubiquitous flasks into Korra's hand. She looked at Tahno, who held up a similar container and clinked it against hers. Oh, what the hell, Korra thought, and put the small metal opening to her lips. She gulped down something fiery and sweet that quickly brought more heat to her cheeks. Tahno pulled her closer, then pressed his lips against hers affectionately, finally giving her the kiss she'd been waiting for all morning. The contact and the alcohol sent a relaxing, much needed plume of calmness through her veins. For a moment, it was just her and Tahno and the sunlight glinting through the canopy above, and the weight of their commitment finally registered.

Suddenly, half a dozen people wrangled Korra and Tahno into a canoe that had been placed on the ground beside them. Before she knew what was happening, Korra found herself several spans above the ground, with Swamp water benders pouring a river through the air and guiding the canoe through the foliage. Catching on, the Water Tribe benders lent their powers as well, and Korra and Tahno were pushed swiftly through the forest and back toward the city. Korra looked back behind her, seeing all of the guests streaming behind them merrily. She turned back to grin at Tahno, who planted a somewhat sloppier kiss on her cheek.

Tahno pulled away, his eyes lingering on the revealing cut of her ceremonial top. He licked his lips and leered at her in a way that had once made her uncomfortable, now just made her want to pounce him. "And now we are married, Avatar."

"Half-married," Korra corrected. "We still have a whole 'nother ceremony to get through, remember?"

Tahno sighed in resignation. The canoe bounced and jostled them together and he grabbed the side to balance himself. "Don't remind me. What do I have to wear again? A fur-trimmed tuxedo?"

Korra laughed. "Whatever my dad picked out for you, it can't possibly be as bad as this swamp tree costume you have me in right now." She picked a crushed moss lily out of her hair and tossed it into the man made river.

Tahno didn't have time to answer; the canoe dropped out of the air and nearly dumped he and Korra out onto the ground. A little dazed, the couple looked around. They had been transported back to the road pull-out, where numerous Satomobiles were parked, ready to take the guests to the next event. The guests had caught up and were starting to get into the cars.

A dazzling, heavily pregnant Asami stepped out of the crowd and walked up to the grounded canoe. "Ready to go to the Ice Palace?" She smiled, holding out her hand for Korra.

Mako dashed away from the people he had been talking to and jumped in front of Asami, pulling Korra to her feet. "You shouldn't lift anything heavy right now!" He admonished his wife. Tahno brushed himself off and stood as well.

"Right, right," Asami waved him off dismissively and opened the car door for the newlyweds. Korra and Tahno exchanged glances. "What, you think I'm going to let one of my drivers take my best friend to the next half of her wedding? Of course not! Now get in!"

Korra and Tahno thought better than to argue with a pregnant lady on a mission, and evidently Mako agreed. The two couples hopped into the Satomobile and sped off, their guests following closely behind.

A/N: Ch 2: Southern Water Tribe!

A/N 2: This was a nice little break from my lengthy Tahnorra fic, Solution to All Our Problems. After I wrap this one up I will be returning to that. Thank you for reading!


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